Quotes from Glen Miller (ESPN Insider)

[tcf15]

ESPN released a preview for each of the top 25 teams here: http://insider.espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/11618270/

The preview on UConn has some good quotes from Coach Miller:

On Boatright's transformation in 2013-2014:
"He really started to do the little things that [coach Kevin Ollie] had been preaching to him all year long," assistant coach Glen Miller said. "He really defended, distributed the ball, created for his teammates. It wasn't scoring that defined him. He earned lots of accolades for that, and it was an eye-opening experience for him."

On Purvis fitting in with UConn's system
"He's a talented kid and an explosive scorer," Miller says. "He's been able to learn our system, playing it every day in practice. Now there's a comfort level there."

On Omar Calhoun
Miller says [Calhoun] has finally committed to playing the kind of defense that Ollie expects.

On Amida Brimah
Miller says Brimah will shoot comfortably out to 15 feet this season (and even shows 3-point range in practice) and has improved his footwork around the hoop, adding a drop step, stepback jumper and fadeaway to the limited arsenal of hook shots he utilized last season. "This will be a defining year for him," Miller says.

 

[nomar]

Don't know about you guys, but I'm In the Mood for hoops.

 

[Husky25]

ESPN released a preview for each of the top 25 teams here: http://insider.espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/11618270/

The preview on UConn has some good quotes from Coach Miller:

On Boatright's transformation in 2013-2014:
"He really started to do the little things that [coach Kevin Ollie] had been preaching to him all year long," assistant coach Glen Miller said. "He really defended, distributed the ball, created for his teammates. It wasn't scoring that defined him. He earned lots of accolades for that, and it was an eye-opening experience for him."

On Purvis fitting in with UConn's system
"He's a talented kid and an explosive scorer," Miller says. "He's been able to learn our system, playing it every day in practice. Now there's a comfort level there."

On Omar Calhoun
Miller says [Calhoun] has finally committed to playing the kind of defense that Ollie expects.

On Amida Brimah
Miller says Brimah will shoot comfortably out to 15 feet this season (and even shows 3-point range in practice) and has improved his footwork around the hoop, adding a drop step, stepback jumper and fadeaway to the limited arsenal of hook shots he utilized last season. "This will be a defining year for him," Miller says.

I don't ever want to see a 7 footer take a 3 pointer. I don't care if it goes in. It's a bad shot no matter what.

 

[James]

Wow on that brimah quote. Can he stay on the floor though? Must boxout without his gangly arms, needs to carve out space in the lane.

 

[intlzncster]

Don't know about you guys, but I'm In the Mood for hoops.

god please yes.

 

[James]

I don't ever want to see a 7 footer take a 3 pointer. I don't care if it goes in. It's a bad shot no matter what.

he isn't a stretch big but thats a pretty ridiculous statement. Frank kaminsky is the best player on a top 5 team and shoots 3s.

 

[Silk31]

I don't ever want to see a 7 footer take a 3 pointer. I don't care if it goes in. It's a bad shot no matter what.

Unless your name is Dirk...let the Brimah and Nowitzki comparisons begin

 

[intlzncster]

I don't ever want to see a 7 footer take a 3 pointer. I don't care if it goes in. It's a bad shot no matter what.

Pretty good at Wisky though. That said, I want Brimah 12 ft and in. Especially like the sound of those jump hooks on the low block. With those arms, that shot is unstoppable at the college level.

 

[intlzncster]

he isn't a stretch big but thats a pretty ridiculous statement. Frank kaminsky is the best player on a top 5 team and shoots 3s.

We think alike. Again, I don't think anyone wants to see Brimah jacking up threes though.

 

[nomar]

I don't ever want to see a 7 footer take a 3 pointer. I don't care if it goes in. It's a bad shot no matter what.

Come on. I think we're all better off having seen Manute Bol take a 3-pointer.

 

[aceboon]

alot of guys do things in pickup that they will never do in games, I have no doubt that Brimah can hit 3s in practice but its not like KO will be expecting him to take those shots during games. I remember watching Hasheem in a pickup game and he was leading the break and going in b/w his legs off the bounce, if he tried that in a game JC would've killed him.

 

[pj]

I predict he won't shoot a 3 pointer all year. We have better outside shooters and he won't be straying far from the paint except to set an occasional screen, so he won't likely have the ball behind the 3 point line with the shot clock winding down, which is the only time he would shoot.

But if he can keep defenders honest out to 12 feet, he has to be covered and that creates passing lanes for Boatright and driving lanes for Purvis and cutting lanes for Facey. That's all we need.

 

[intlzncster]

Come on. I think we're all better off having seen Manute Bol take a 3-pointer.

I know I am.

 

[Silk31]

And let's give it up to Glen Miller for making it big time, his quotes are considered ESPN Insider worthy

 

[Inyatkin]

Makes it sound like Calhoun's real problem was a lack of commitment on defense. Seems like it went a lot deeper than that.

 

[Husky25]

he isn't a stretch big but thats a pretty ridiculous statement. Frank kaminsky is the best player on a top 5 team and shoots 3s.

Unless your name is Dirk...let the Brimah and Nowitzki comparisons begin

Pretty good at Wisky though. That said, I want Brimah 12 ft and in. Especially like the sound of those jump hooks on the low block. With those arms, that shot is unstoppable at the college level.

Come on. I think we're all better off having seen Manute Bol take a 3-pointer.

Funny you should bring him up...This is quick and dirty, but it's something to chew on until you realize that a 7 footer should not (by and large) be outside the key (Dirk is listed as 6-11, as is Kevin Garnett, and Kaminsky, which probably means they are all barely touching 6-9.).

For his college career, Kaminsky is shooting 58% from 2 point range and has taken 347 shots (hitting 201) for 402 points.
For his college career, Kaminsky is shooting 38% from 3 point range and has taken 98 shots (hitting 37) for 111 points.

Disregarding flow of the game, shot selection, and historic eye test, if Kaminsky (on average) hit 58% of his 3 point attempts from 2 point range, he would have scored 114 points, not to mention the occasional and 1, which would have netted a non-zero, positive number.

114>111 all day long.

The outcome is the exact same for his junior year.

I think he is going to be a force on par with Hasheem Thabeet, but there is no reason in for Amida Brimah (with his whole 5 years of basketball experience) to start a set play outside the foul line - extended, in Ollie's offense and he ain't pulling up on a fast break.

 

[Silk31]

Funny you should bring him up...This is quick and dirty, but it's something to chew on until you realize that a 7 footer should not (by and large) be outside the key (Dirk in 6-11, as is Kevin Garnett, and Kaminsky, by the way).

Since you tried nitpicking and saying Dirk is not a legitimate 7 footer....he is listed as 7 feet tall everywhere:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirk_Nowitzki

http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/609/dirk-nowitzki

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/n/nowitdi01.html

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/dirk_nowitzki/

So recant your 6'11" statement right this minute!....

 

[Husky25]

I don't follow the NBA other than the Celtics much, but recall him being referred to as 6'-11" during their championship year.

Oh well. Mea culpa on that point only...Doesn't really affect the rest of the post.

 

[nomar]

The legend with Garnett is that HE's always insisted on being listed at 6'11" instead of 7'0" (because he doesn't like playing center). Sometimes he refers to himself as 6'12".

 

[Pudge]

Don't know about you guys, but I'm In the Mood for hoops.

I am not with the guys crying about the Football. But ... I AM DAMN GLAD I love UConn Hoop. Makes Oct 1 exciting.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Makes it sound like Calhoun's real problem was a lack of commitment on defense. Seems like it went a lot deeper than that.

I'm surprised more people haven't commented on that. That's a pretty damning quote regarding OC. Evidently his struggles last year went beyond his ineptitude on offense.

 

[GemParty]

Yes, need hoops to start!

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Made it this far without seeing mention of Hilton Units or a link to Roy Hibbert. Not bad.

 

[intlzncster]

I'm surprised more people haven't commented on that. That's a pretty damning quote regarding OC. Evidently his struggles last year went beyond his ineptitude on offense.

Hardly damning. I mean, his struggles last year were clearly everything. I've not doubt his struggles on O affected his D. And clearly, he didn't come in as a defensive stopper type anyway. It took Boat until his Jr year to really commit to a high level of D (his ceiling is higher of course), so it's not that out of the norm as far as OC goes.

 

[intlzncster]

And let's give it up to Glen Miller for making it big time, his quotes are considered ESPN Insider worthy

I think he's been underrated on here historically in terms of what he brings to the program. Last year he started getting props for free throw shooting, but he seems to have done quality behind the scenes work for years now.